If Jesus Were Here Today, Would He Want His Miracles Posted on Social Media?

Hi there,

I found myself asking this question the other day when I was listening to a YouTube video from someone who is skeptical about faith healing presentations. It got me thinking...

* If Jesus had come during this time period, how do you think He would have felt about people filming the miracles He performed on their phones, and then uploading the videos to social media?

* Would He have wanted it to reach as many viewers as possible, or would He have somehow wanted to keep the events kept private? (And how on earth would that be achieved today?)

Please note that this thread is not meant to be a debate about whether or not faith healings exist today, but rather, how Jesus would have reacted to His work being put on social media. It's purely a rhetorical question meant for critical thinking and probably not really something we can answer either way in this lifetime. But I thought the discussion about it would be interesting.

The reason I was thinking about this is because I went to Lutheran schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. During that time, there seemed to be a great emphasis on discerning those who were false prophets and/or had the spirit of the anti-Christ because many then believedthat we were in the last days of the earth's existence.

One of the things I remember one of our pastors pointing out during our classes was that sometimes Jesus wanted news of His miraculous works to be known. For example, after commanding a legion of demons to leave a man (and they subsequently entered a herd of pigs that drowned themselves,) Jesus then told him, "Go back home and tell everyone how much God has done for you." (Luke 8:39.)

In contrast to this, when Jesus brought Jairus's daughter back from the dead, "He commanded them strictly that no one should know it." (Mark 5:43.)

The pastor had told us to beware of anyone was was preaching and performing works in Jesus's name for the sake of drawing attention to themselves.

I often wonder what God thinks of, and how He would utilize - or avoid - social media today.

To summarize the idea behind this thread:

If Jesus were here today and was performing miracles in front of the people, do you think He would want bystanders to record the process and upload the footage to the internet?

Why or why not?

I have absolutely no idea.

I watched a Netflix show called Messiah last year which basically responds to your post. In the show, various people are trying to figure out whether this person who claims to be the Messiah is actually the Messiah or whether he is a fraud/false prophet, a government agent, etc. Although the character never says he is Jesus/God, he quotes from the Bible and says things like "My Father sent me", etc. He does various miracles like stopping a storm, walking on the reflecting pool in DC, etc. He also says some "radical" things (just like what Jesus said would have been considered "radical" for His time). The premise of the show is if Jesus came to the world today, how will the world react? Not surprisingly, many people were taking videos of this person, posting on social media, and word about this person spread quickly globally. People who wanted to believe believed, and people who didn't want to did not. Even when this person stopped the storm, people still had some doubts. To answer your question, I don't think Jesus would care too much about social media or what other people say about Him.

This sounds fascinating -- thank you so much for sharing this!

I was especially drawn to the statement that people who wanted to believe, believed, and people who didn't want to believe, did not. Personally, I think this is one of the biggest conclusions that can be made about the Bible. People are going to believe what they want to believe, no matter what.

As a kid, I couldn't wrap my head around people refusing to believe in Jesus even though they saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead. "REALLY???" I would always think to myself, "How could ANYONE not believe after seeing that!?"

And then I went to a public college. I found myself surrounded by "science" professors who had seen some of the most mind-boggling scientific principles in action, yet thought it was ridiculous to believe in God. One of my professors even said, "The human body is so complex, I'm amazed it can even function," but scoffed at the idea of a Divine Creator.

It was then that I realized how strongly people could choose to either believe or not believe in something, because I knew these people wouldn't believe even if they saw someone raised from the dead.

I also agree with you about Jesus not caring what anyone thought about Him or the results of social media.

I'm just wondering how Jesus would handle social media today in a case like Jairus's daughter, when He wanted His works to be private and unspoken with others -- and nearly everyone in the room would have it recorded on their phones.

To the OP title, of course. We should not hide anything which glorifies the One and True God....

Thank you for your post!

I guess I should emphasize something here: we all know that Jesus would certainly have had nothing to hide, and posting His works would be able to bring glory to God to a large number of people immediately.

But what I'm really curious about would be the instance in which Jesus raised Jairus's daughter from the dead, and He specifically commanded that this miracle was to remain private and not spoken about to anyone.

In this case, Jesus DIDN'T want everyone to know, for whatever reason.

How does everyone think He would have handled that in the days of social media?

In the first instance, I believe He said what He said because His time had not yet come, to be crucified that is.
Reading other examples of this request of people not to mention what He had done, many times, in spite of His request, His deeds were "published abroad" and His fame grew.

It's always interesting to me that in the cases where Jesus told them not to tell anyone, they directly disobeyed His command. (Not that I would have been any different had I seen Him heal or raise someone from the dead!)

But I have always wondered if things would have turned out any differently -- and how -- if the people would have obeyed His wishes and kept silent.

Jesus is here today
As he had no interest in ROME
He has no interest in the world, media and the like.
And neither should His followers

I personally gave up Netflix, Google,YouTube,Facebook, Twitter etc
Because they all have an obvious Anti- Christian Anti-Peace stance

I serve God and the window to the soul is the EYE and I cut out of my vision the agenda that is being laid out
But thats my conviction

A teaching important to us all is how our Father will take what is not to bring down what is. He will use the base be it His will.

Do not concern yourself with using Facebook, Twitter, or anything else if it is to glorify our Father for the world is a big social media in itself , containing all the evil and good that may be. It will all be purified in the fire next time.

Use them if you feel the Spirit is moving you to do so. I had Facebook up and running while my one sister was fighting bone cancer. After her going to sleep in the hope of Jesus I broke off my own usage of it. I do not do well in any of the electronic social media, so I try to be useful here whenever I may.

Jesus used the social media of the time he was physically on earth, I suspect that he would use it now.

sure
the thing is he told people not to tell others basically because at the time the Pharisees were out to kill Him if they got wind of it. (And in his childhood he was pretty much head hunted by Herod)

That didnt mean not talk about it but not tell the authorities like the how you nowadays wouldnt involve the police in certain things because you know they'd crackdown on everything.

It depends on which gospel you read. In Mark he keeps his identity a secret and in John he tells
people who he is. I think if Social Media existed he would have made use of it.

I remember one guy that Jesus told not to tell anybody, but the dude went around telling everyone, and the natural result got in Jesus' way a LOT. Seems Jesus had a reason for it when He said not to tell anybody.

Today it would probably be the same. Some miracles He would want talked about, others he would want kept silent, and none of it for personal pride or shame, but for the effect it would cause and whether it would help or hinder Him in His work.

Yup. Even Jesus commented on that. The guy in hell begged that somebody would be sent to his five brothers, to warn them to straighten up, so they would not wind up in "this place of torment." The answer he got was, nah... if they don't believe after all they already have as witnesses, a dead man coming back to warn them won't make any difference either.

I have posted about Jesus on social media.
I consider christians forums to be a form of social media so I do it practically everyday.

Regarding facebook, and such platforms, I'll post good news about anything happening to me at the time which I consider a miracle, why not?

I have a blog dedicated to good news.
You dont always have to mention Jesus by name (and sometimes its prudent NOT to go overboard) but He would be behind everything you do anyway.
Im sure before social media, when I was a young christian I would email all my friends about Jesus whether they believed or not.

Why because why not. If He is the best thing to ever happen to you why would you keep silent about it. If people hate you for it well its kinda their problem, people back in the day were STONED for daring to talk about Jesus, so I kinda think I get off lightly in this day and age.

Would he wear a pinky ring
Would he drive a fancy car
Would his wife wear furrs and diamonds
Would his dressing room have a star
If he came back tomorrow
There's something I'd like to know
Would Jesus wear a Rolex
On his television show

- Ray Stevens

But then why did Jesus say more than once to someone who had received a miracle 'don't tell anyone'?

I recently came across an article (can't remember where or I would post it) wherein a man started a blog about the crazy expensive attire on so many (cough) pastors these days. Like 800.00 $ running shoes or 300.00 $ jeans.

The dude at Elevation Church is one of course. Not to pick on him though, he has many 'friends'

Seems since Jesus had things written down for others to know about, that's no different than writing them down on social media.
During his time he had one option, and used it. No we have multiple options, so it only makes sense he would use them.
One main goal of the gospel is to be spread. What sense would it be to not utilize the options to spread it?

I just mentioned he would say that because the Pharisees were after him at the time and wanting to kill him....